We rented a combo unit bounce house with waterslide and pool for 4/21. Upon pickup the pool wasn't there. Company promised to bring pool out before party that day. Company called later and said would be an additional $45 to bring it out. Company called again after party was 1/2 over and offered to bring it out after we said we would dispute credit card charges. That same day they changed their website to reflect the additional $45, which wasn't there when we rented the unit. They apologized for their error and admitted it. We wouldn't have set up the unit, nor would we have even picked it up if we'd known it was incomplete. They're now saying we shouldn't have set it up or used it, even though they told us to and said the pool was forthcoming. We want a full refund. When we let the manager or owner, Linda, know that we were prepared to file complaints, they now accuses us of blackmail, she threatens to call her attorney and says we knew the pool wasn't with it (after admitting just earlier that they made a mistake!). Below are copies of all emails. The truth is very obvious. I'm starting with the first emails sent, following with her latest threats.

Jump around the bounce house, play hoops, then slide. Customer pick-up hours are Saturday from 8am-10am and drop off is on Sunday from 8a-9a. On Sunday the pick-up hours are from 10a-12n and drop-off is on Monday from 9a-6p. Please bring a truck or trailer.

Jump around the bounce house, play hoops, then slide. $175 with pool, $235 delivered with pool. Please indicate under special instructions if pool is needed. Customer pick-up hours are Saturday from 8am-10am and drop off is on Sunday from 8a-9a. On Sunday the pick-up hours are from 10a-12n and drop-off is on Monday from 9a-6p. Please bring a truck or trailer.

Interesting website changes and updates, all the same day that we rented the Treehouse with pool and you decided to not honor your end of the contract.

Good thing I cached the page from your website that we rented from. Good thing I printed it to dispute the charges with the credit card company and have a copy to send to BBB, FTC and the Attorney General's Office and who ever else I run across in my Google searches that handles internet fraud. That's exactly what this is, internet fraud, bait & switch, false advertising, etc..... The internet is rampant with fraud and there are plenty of people interested in putting an end to it. Thanks for supplying me with such wonderful proof of your deceit as two web pages advertising the same item, different pricing, the same day as our pickup.

I'm disappointed that a company would go to the time and trouble to change their website, instead of just admitting an error to a customer. Potentially a return customer. It probably took as much, or more, time than it would have taken to deliver the pool as advertised.

Shame on you.

We are asking for a full refund.

The full refund won't make up for the fact that we had a birthday party for a disappointed seven year old girl in a swimsuit, along with about ten other children. All in swimsuits. Without the advertised and paid for pool from your company.

Your company even initially admitted the error by saying due to the time of year, the pools hadn't been used since last summer, and that was the reason it wasn't with the bounce house part. They even said they'd deliver it by 12:30 since it was your mistake. What happened after that, besides quickly changing the internet page, I don't understand.

You owe us a full refund, and I am hereby requesting it immediately.

Sincerely,

omit
omit

Also cc'd this email to my daughter who held the party and affordabounce:
Original Message
From: omit
To: omit
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 12:11 PM
Subject: Fw: fraud complaint centers

, this is just a few sites we'll initiate complaints for internet fraud. With copies of the website changes on the same day, with their own URL, it will be easy to make a point. Most of these will automatically be picked up by search engines and will show up in all internet searches.

Every time anyone looks for this company, the search engines will pickup the name in our complaints and list it with the top search results.

http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

http://www.econsumer.gov/english/index.html

https://odr.bbb.org/odrweb/public/GetStarted.aspx

http://webbbox.com/

http://www.complainusa.com/

www.epinions.com

www.ripoffreport.com

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/

I'll find more that have been successful in handling these type of cases and email them later.

Hi omit,
Yes we changed the website after we realized the error. We never said we did not change it the same day. I tried to offer you the free delivery of the pool but you declined yet you expect to use the combo inflatable the rest of the day for free. If you are not happy with it you should have returned it or called us to pick it up without using it. It's like eating all your food at a restaurant then saying you don't want to pay for it because you didn't like the taste- yet you ate it all. Do you think that is fair? I called you to apologize and offer to deliver the pool yet you said no. As a picky customer myself I do know every company is not perfect and can make a mistake but I wouldn't expect things for free. I know how much hard work and headache it is to run a business. Again I do apologize for the internet error and sorry for any inconvenience caused. I can offer the refund of your $50 deposit to your credit card- there is no need for you to dispute it. If you have any further comments or questions please don't hesitate to call- I will be happy to assist.
Thank you,
Linda
817-293-9000

Hi omit,
This is Linda from Afford-a-Bounce again, I realized I must not have spoken to you on the party date because I noticed on your e-mail there was no acknowledgement of the fact that I called and must have spoken to Sadie to apologize and deliver the pool which she declined. Richard explained the situation to me and I checked our web site and realized the error which I updated to avoid any future inconveniences to our customers. I never claimed that I didn't change it. I hope you understand that it wouldn't be fair for us to refund the full amount even though the unit was in use and I tried to fix the situation immediately after I found out. There really isn't a company out there that would rent a water slide combo with a pool for only $135 pick-up but for your convenience I am going to refund $50 to the credit card used for the rental. We are planning on getting more great items in at affordable prices and I hope you use us again in the future. Please feel free to call me anytime, I will be happy to assist.
Again I am sorry and thank you for your time,
Linda
Afford-a-Bounce
Inflatable Party Rentals and More!
817-293-9000
817-551-1659 fax
6900 South Freeway Suite A-10
Fort Worth, TX 76134

And who wouldn't it be fair to, refunding our costs for ruining our party? Your company? Certainly it would be fair to us. And comparing this to food in a restaurant, which is consumable, doesn't make sense. The bounce isn't consumable and was returned exactly as taken, your company isn't out anything. It wasn't a matter of "trying it" and not liking it. We didn't get what we rented and paid for, that you agreed to provide. Why would we pay for that and think it fair?

The bounce house was rented in anticipation of receiving the complete unit. The party was planned in anticipation of the complete unit as rented. Your company promised to deliver the pool as it was rented when we picked up the bounce house and the pool was missing. No mention of changing the charges was made at that time.

As the day wore on, the party started with kids in swimsuits and no water. Waiting for delivery by your company. Party supplies that were meant to be played with wet....and no water. A cake with a beach scene....and no water.....until we turned on our water hose.

It wasn't until after the party was virtually over that you finally called to say you would deliver the pool. Until then, your delivery person was calling to say he would only deliver for an additional $45.00 Why would we want the pool delivered after the party ended? Your offer was too little too late. Yet we're still expected to pay for this?

No, we are still demanding a full refund. And still considering asking for our time, gas, mileage and water party supplies that need reimbursing.

Let's be fair. When you buy something, and it arrives not as ordered, don't you send it back? We inflated the bounce house anticipating the pool's arrival because your company promised it in the morning. We wouldn't even have picked it up for the party if we'd know your company was going to back out of our contract.

We'll be filing today and the rest of the week on internet fraud charges.

omit (daughter's name) knew the pool wasn't going to be rented out with the combo- that's why she told Richard that she wanted it since it was going to be a hot day. The little pool is only meant for landing in- not for water toys to be in. You had the unit during the full rental period- why would you want it for free? I have taken previous customers to court where they didn't want to pay after services were rendered and have great experience with it. I have zero tolerance for people who are out to rip-off companies. You are doing nothing but trying to get free service and blackmail our company. Well as I said before I am also a picky customer myself but I never get ridiculously unreasonable so I am very familiar with those organizations you have listed. I have all the time and am ready to dispute every claim because I know I have the right to. The party was not over when I called- I made sure I asked (omit name) if the party was still going on and she said yes. So I think you are totally being unfair. If you are not happy with the $50 refund offer then I will not grant it. I will speak to my lawyer today about black-mailing charges and submit copies of our email conversation to all the complaint bureaus I can find which luckily you have already listed many. They can surely see nothing more than a customer trying to get free service yet we have tried to work with you by offering a $50 refund and delivery of the pool. You are not the one who decides whether or not you get a full refund- I would rather have a judge decide that. I don't want anymore threatening emails from you- from now on I am only going to listen if you call me. If you still want the $50 refund I am willing to work with you on that because of the internet error.
Sincerely,
Linda
Afford-a-Bounce
Inflatable Party Rentals and More!
817-293-9000
817-551-1659 fax
6900 South Freeway Suite A-10
Fort Worth, TX 76134